In existing crop balers, various mechanisms have been disclosed for imparting a resistive squeezing force to the bale emerging from the crop baler so that the compacting plunger of the baler upstream from the squeeze apparatus is provided with an effective backstop against which fresh charges of crop materials can be compacted.
For example in a prior art bale squeezing apparatus as disclosed in Hesston 4600 Beeline Baler Parts Catalog, 1st Edition (Issue 1), 2/81, page 32, upper and lower squeeze plates are pivotally connected to the bale case with the pivotal axes of the respective squeeze plates spaced and mutually parallel. The distal end of the upper squeeze plate is bolted to the base of a hydraulic cylinder assembly, and the piston rod of the cylinder extends upwardly from the base to a transverse truss weldment fabricated from several, separate pices. There it is connected by means of a transverse pin to the truss. The lower squeeze plate is welded at the distal end thereof to a transverse member, and a pair of tie rods extend upwardly through the member and the truss on opposite sides of the bale case to maintain a constant distance between the truss and the member. When the piston rod is extended, movement of the rod reacts between the truss and the distal end of the upper squeeze plate to thereby swing the squeeze plates toward or away from each other according to the direction of travel of the piston rod.
This particular prior art construction presents two problems. First, the relatively complicated design of the truss itself leads to higher than desired manufacturing costs, and, secondly, having the cylinder upright so the piston rod extends from the top of the cylinder sometimes encourages deleterious matter such as water to seep by gravity into the bore of the cylinder around the rod.